I went to the St. Paddy's Day parade last Wednesday in midtown to do some drawing. It's been awhile since I've been to the parade, but it hasn't really changed, except that it was warm for once! My favorite people to draw are the bagpipers because of their plaid kilts and knee socks and, oh yeah, their bagpipes!

The leaders of the pipe bands always have a swagger in their step.

But there are plenty of marchers that are just wearing suits and sashes, grandees from County Clare and County Wicklow, like this fellow,

as well as Ancient Hibernians, and their ladies. If the ones I drew don't look very happy, it's easy to understand. I was at the end of the parade route and by the end of the day, they'd walked a far piece and I'm sure were pretty footsore. Soldier on, Ladies of the AOH!

Paradegoers are fun to draw as well. Everyone was wearing green, even the dogs!

In addition to our little canine fashion plate there, we had lots of tweeds, Aran sweaters, and football (by which I mean soccer) jerseys.